Stopper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT R. THAYER, OF CHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN.

STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,325, dated May 19, 1885.

I Application filed August 23.1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADELBERT R. THAYER, of Gheboygan, county of Oheboygamand State of Michigan, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Stoppers and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a Wood stopper for bottles and similar articles; and it consists, essentially, of a suitably-shaped wooden plug constructed with one or more interior kerfs, leaving a flexible exterior shell, said stopper being compressed either before or after said kerf or kerfs are formed, as more particularly described hereinafter, and more fully pointed out in the claims.

As illustrated in the drawings, Figure 1 is a'perspective View of such a stopper. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is another vertical section showing the lower end of the stopper tapered, the kerf remaining straight. Fig. 4. is a vertical section showing severalinterior kerfs. Fig. 5 is another modification showing the lower end of the stopper compressed after the kerf is formed.

I carry out my invention as follows: A is a stopper. a represents one or more interior kerfs. A is an exterior flexible shell. B is an interior core.

These stoppers are compressed, and the compression is effected either before or after the kerf or kerfs are formed If compressed before the kerf or kerfs are made,they will have the appearance as shown in Figs. land 2. The entire stopper may be compressed, or simply at one end, and the kerf then formed, in which case it will have the appearance shown in Fig. 3; but the compression may be effected after the kerf or kerfs are formed, the compression serving to close more or less the lower end of the kerf, as shown in Fig. 5. Any suitable number of kerfs may be formed in the stopper, either before or after compression, as shown in Fig. 4..

Stoppers so constructed possess a desirable fiexibility,while they are capable also of swelling to more effectually fill the mouth of the bottle or other orifice in which they may be inserted.

I do not confine myself to the use of my invention as a bottle-stopper, but would have it understood that it may also be used for a bung, or for any other purpose for which it is adapted.

The kerf or kerfs may be cut by any desired instrument.

I am aware of the patent granted to Wendell Wright, November 14, 1871, No. 120,923; but I do not broadly claim such a device; but

What I do claim is- 1.- A stopper provided with one or more kerfs extending from the bottom toward the top, leaving an external flexibleshell, interior core, and solid top, said shell tapered toward the lower end, the construction being such that the stopper is greater in diameter at the top than at the bottom, substantially as described.

ADELBERT R. THAYER.

\Vitnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, M. B. ODoeHERTY. 

